Year One Complete!

So I just said goodbye to my first class! It's sad to see them go and I will miss not having them next year. I wish we could just take a 2-month break and then pick up right where we started off again. BUT next year is new and will be exciting with a lot of challenges. I come home in 6 days so this will probably be the last blog you get from me until next June. I just wanted to stop and say thank you for all of your prayers and all of your support! It truly did mean a lot to me! I am going to use this break to really rest in the Lord and rejunivante myself for next year. While I loved this year it was also draining and taxing. I don't think I would have traded it for anything though. Pray for these little ones when they come to your mind. I worry that as they continue to grow older the things of God will be less and less meaningful to them and their attitude may become bored and unattentive. I know that God has a way of working beyond all these things though and I pray that He would continue to place people in their lives who will water the seeds that were planted here this year. Some students will not be returning in June but they will be carrying these truths with them wherever they may go  next year. I feel blessed that God would use me in these place and with these children. Today for a last activity we did class superlatives. One of the categories was "someone who is a true friend." A number of my students wrote God or Jesus. This made my heart smile and I just hope that this really takes root in their heart and it would be something that they can draw and lean on throughout their whole life. I think exciting things are going to continue taking place in these students lives and I feel blessed to be able to glimpse small pieces of it! Thank you for caring and praying for these precious children that you have never met. ;)

Thank you! :)

So after much prayer and a wonderful relaxing weekend on an island away from everything having to do with school, I feel much refreshed and rested. Thank you so much for your prayers---they have been felt in Thailand! Here is a little video to say thank you! In chapel we sing "This is the day" in Thai and I recorded my students doing it afterwards. The words in English (in case you are unfamiliar with the song) says, "This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it! This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made!" So simple but such a wonderful truth! :)

a little dose of honesty...

I haven't been completely honest in this blog these last few weeks. I have tried to remain positive and upbeat, and only share good things so maybe it would change my heart a little bit. BUT if I am being completely honest, I was in a dark place. I was moody, grumpy, selfish, needy, and a little depressed! (okay, maybe more than a little!) I was in this awful funk and I was so miserable with everything! I was tired of my students, I had lost all my joy, I was angry with people at home, things going on here at school---every time I turned around there was something else that had gone wrong or had made me angry or had hurt my feeling or made me frustrated. On top of that, we have been subbing for our Thai teachers like crazy so our hours are crazy and with no planning periods and grades due soon, it was just not a good combination. I was blaming it on lack of sleep and being overworked but that was not the case. I was being attacked! I was being robbed of my joy in my purpose here! God kept bringing Psalm 51:12 to my attention though, "Restore to me the JOY of my salvation!" I had lost my joy in the very thing that had brought me to Thailand in the first place! That verse truly became my prayer. I even wrote it out and taped it to my desk. My students were curious as to why it was there so I shared with them that they learn verses, and I memorize verses too because it is important that we treasure God's Word in our hearts. They now all want to memorize this verse as well as their weekly verse! :) God is faithful! This past Thursday, which had the potential to be the hardest and most taxing day I've had yet, turned out to be a wonderful blessing! God is upholding me with his willing Spirit! :) I would just ask for prayers that the God of hope would fill me with his joy and peace!